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Funding Period:
2004–2009
The Steps Program in DeKalb County, Georgia
CDC’s Steps Program funds states, cities, and tribal groups to implement
community-based chronic disease prevention programs to reduce the burden of
obesity, diabetes, and asthma by addressing three related risk factors:
physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use. Steps-funded programs
are showing what can be done locally in schools, work sites, communities,
and health care settings to promote healthier lifestyles and help people
make long-lasting and sustainable changes that can reduce their risk for
chronic diseases.
Background
The Steps Program in DeKalb County is building healthier communities through
interventions in the southern and southeastern areas of the county,
including the cities of Avondale Estates, Lithonia, Pine Lake, and Stone
Mountain, by working with schools, health care providers, work sites, and
community leaders. Programmatic efforts aim to increase physical activity,
improve nutrition, and prevent tobacco use and exposure among DeKalb County
residents; these efforts are focused on people most burdened by chronic
diseases, including racial/ethnic minority groups, people living below the
federal poverty level, and the elderly. A priority population is black or
African-American adolescents and adults. In the intervention area, 86% of
residents are black or African American, 41% of families are headed by
single mothers, and 10% of residents live below the federal poverty level.
Spotlight on Success
- Two work-site wellness policies benefitting more than 500 employees were
approved by the DeKalb County Board of Health. The first policy allows Board
of Health employees to engage in 30 minutes of physical activity during work
hours. The second policy established a work-site wellness committee that
meets regularly to discuss health promotion opportunities. As a result of
these policies, the board established a Healthy Business Council that aims
to bring work-site wellness practitioners together to share resources and
best practices and to learn from content experts in the field of work-site
wellness.
- DeKalb Steps was successful in helping the City of Decatur School System
adopt CDC’s 100% Tobacco-Free Schools policy. DeKalb Steps also developed
several program curricula, plans, and reports, including the Belvedere Line
Neighborhood Active Living Plan, the Community Food Security Assessment
Report, Safe Routes to Schools Action Plan, DeKalb County Health Disparities
Report, Reaching Our Community Report, and Live Healthy in Faith curriculum.
Community Partnerships
The Live Healthy DeKalb coalition, whose vision is "healthy people living
in healthy communities,” is integral to the success of the DeKalb County
Steps Program. This dynamic partnership includes several neighborhood
associations, family and community service organizations, Children's
Healthcare of Atlanta, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and other county
government agencies, the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Service, the
DeKalb County School System, Emory University, Georgia Perimeter College,
JoAnna Ward Fitness, Kaiser Permanente, L.I.V.E., Oakhurst Medical Centers,
Segal Radio, the South DeKalb Business Association, Spiritual Visions for
Wellness Ministries, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, Women Watch Afrika,
World Relief, and the YMCA of Metro Atlanta.
Contact
Steps to a Healthier DeKalb County
DeKalb County Board of Health
Telephone: 404-508-7847
www.dekalbhealth.net/steps*
*Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a
service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization
by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is
not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found
at this link.
One or more documents on this Web page are available in Adobe Acrobat® Format
(PDF).
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files on this page.
Page last reviewed: May 2, 2008
Page last modified: July 24, 2008
Content source: Division of Adult and
Community Health, National
Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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